Boiler-cleaning apparatus



(No Model.)

J. T. OBENGHAIN. BOILER CLEANING APPARATUS.

Patented June 4, 1889.

LW 3. Witnesses: (X Inventor, v1 'h'. w Attorney,

UNITED STATES ATENT rrrcn.

JOHN T. OBENCHAIN, OF LOGANSPORT, INDIANA.

BOlLER-CLEANING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,425, dated June 4,1889.

Application filed January 4,

To all wwnt t may concern.'

Be it known that I, J oHN T. OBENCHAIN, of Logansport, Cass county,Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBoiler-Cleaning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to that class of devices in which the foul waterin the upper levels in the boiler is caused to pass outfrom the boilerand into a precipitator where the heavier matters are left, the purifiedwater returning again to the boiler.

My improvements will be readily understood from the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure l is a vertical section illustrating my apparatus inconnection with a boiler; Fig. 2, a plan of the precipitator, with aportion shown in horizontal section; and Fig. 3, a plan of the skimmer.

In the drawings, A indicates in vertical section the shell of theboiler; B, the water in the boiler; C, a large'vertical pipe screweddownwardly through the top of the boiler and reaching thereinto or nearto the water- CSO line, this pipe being hereinafter termed theskimmer-pipe, D, the skimmer in the form of a cylindrical cup securedupon the lower end of the skimmer-pipe in such adjusted position ofheight as may be called for, the cup being so adjusted vertically as tobe about half-way immersed in the water in the boiler when the water isat its average level; E, vertical slots in the wall of the skimmer,these slots being open at the top and extending downwardly to about thebottom of the skimmer-cup, these slots presenting a practically uniformarea of opening from top to bottom; F, a central hollow hub projectingupwardly from the solid floor of the skimmercup, this hub being threadedto receive the skimmer-pipe on which the skimmer may be screwed up ordown, as desired, the position, after adjusting, being fixed by alock-nut on the skimmer-pipe; G, a series of apertures in the wall ofthe hub F, at the foot of the hub, these apertures placing the interiorof the hub in communication with the interior of the skimmer-cup; H, apipe-T upon the upper end of the skimmer-pipe; J, a pipe leading fromthis T to the precipitator and serv- 1889. Serial No. 295,382.

(No model.)

ing to place the precipitator in communication with the interior of theskimmer-pipe C; K, the precipitator, being a tight circular napiformvessel disposed at any convenient position contiguous to the boiler; L,the inlet of the pipe J to the precipitator, the same being tangentiallydisposed at the inner periphery of the vessel just below its roof, suchinner periphery forming the smooth and truly circular inwall of thevessel; M, the base of the precipitator of cyma-reversa contour; N, aclean-out valve at the base of the precipitator, O, a horizontal septumin the precipitator; P, a cock discharging outwardly horizontally fromthe extreme upper part of the precipitator; Q, a centrally-disposed pipereaching from the roof of the precipitator downwardly thereinto andhaving its open lower end preferably bell-mouthed; R, apipe leadingupwardly from the pipe Q and thence horizontally to over theskimmer-pipe C; S, a pipe leading from the pipe R downwardly through theT H, thence centrally downward through the skimmer-pipe C and throughthe skimmer-hub and tightly through the skimmer-bottom and into theboiler, at some disstance below the bottom of the skimmer; and T,regulating-valves in the pipes J and R.

When heat is applied to the water in the boiler, the eifect is toproduce currents of circulation in the water, the impurities insuspension moving with these currents. The cu rrents are upwardlydirectly over the fire, thence horizontally to the colder end of theboiler, thence downwardly, and' back horizontally to the hot portion ofthe boiler, and so on and on. The foreign matters in freest suspensionwill take the form of scum upon the top of the water and will move withthe circulatory current from the hotter to the cooler end of the boiler.Purifying devices operating by means of skimmers, therefore, deal withthe scum at the surface of the water in the boiler, and, preferably, atthe cooler end of the boiler, where the currents take a downward turn.

The skimmer-cup D will be surrounded by scum; which will find its waywithin the cup through the open slots. Upon entering the cup the scumbecomes to a greater or less degree protected from the effect of thegeneral circulatory currents in the water surrounding IOO ` the eup, andtherefore there will be more or less tendency l'or the matters insuspension to preeipitate themselves to lhebottom ot the eup. Theskiininer-pipe @leads Yl'rom thecup outwardly to the preeipitator, andthere is an outwardly-tlowing euri-ent through this pipe, theeft'ect otwhich current is to draw up out oli' the ciipthose matters which haveaecumulated therein. fly reason of the location of the apertures G, itfollows that the ell'eet ot this outward Current is mainly expendedu-pon those matters which by reason ot' their superior gravity havetended to settle when within the cup. The cup thus becomes elozired ot'such matters as rapidly as they enter.

'lhe water-level of the boiler is subject to constant variilitit'ins,and it is desirable that such variation should not a't'ect the settlingijfapaeity ol' the skimmer. ',lhe inflow to the skimmeris not lrom thegeneral body of water surrounding the skimmer, but from the seninarising `upon the surl'aee ot' the water; eonseqt'iently, as the waterrises in the boiler the stratum ol scum rises with it. The inliowol"senin to the skimmer is dependent upon the area oli' the skimmer-slotslil, considered in connectionwith the depth ol' the scum. lhe slotsbeingI ot' unit'orm area throughout their depth, it lfollows that theymaintain a uniform working th roughoiit the Variations oli' water-level.It, however, the thickness ol scum increases, then more ol the lengtholf the slot beeomes el't'eethre and the Capacity of the skimmeraccordingly in creased.

The steam, water, and foreign matters pass ing l'rom the skimmeroutwardly through pipe C go by pipe J and connection L to thepreeipitator. The inlet L being arranged tangentially at the top of theprecipitator, the matters are so diseharged into the precipitator as toiorm a vortex therein. Nere the preeipitator simply li'ull ot' thematters, the same matter would leave the preeipitator and go to theboiler with that entering.; thepi'eeipitator l'rom the boiler exceptsuch extremelyheavy matter as might precipitate in the preeipitator inspite ol the normal currents therein. This would be the case il' thepipe .l delivered the matter to the precil'iitator in the ordinarymanner; but the eoni'iet'itiou L prodiicing the vortex gives to theheavierinat ters the greatermomentum. Thismomentum causes these heaviermatters to move around the inner walls of the precipitator and to beacted upon by graif'ity which draws them down these walls outoli' therange et in lluence oi.' the general circulatory currents within thepreeipitator. rlhe heavier matters consequently liiid their way to thebase ol the precipitator, whence they may be from time to time withdrawnthrough the valve N. The septum O is not at all essential, and inpraetiee is not always used. lts olliee is to l'ree the lower part etthe precipitator to some extent lrom. the ell'eet ol' the circulatoryei'irrent. The

heavier matters which have onee passed through the perlorations ol' theselitum, wh ile they would rise again under the inlluenee olfcirculatory currents in the absence ol the septum, will not be actedupon with sufficient foree to cause them to search their way up wardlythrough the perforatioiis of the septum. Being thus held for a time,[iee from motion, gravity takes elt'eet and causes them to settlethrough the comparatively stagnant water below the septum.

The circulatory currents carry the contents ot' the precipitatortherefrom through the pipes Q, R, and S to the boiler7 except suchheavier matters which have been preeil'iitated through the action ot theprecipitator-walls and the septum. llie pipe (.2, forming the ontletfrom the precil'iitator, reaches well down wardly into the same, andconsequently water cannot leave the precipitator until it has lor sometime been subjected to the Vortex aetion against the walls. In otherwords, water leaving the precipitator is water which has entered at aIhigher level and sunk to a lower level, and has, in the meantime, beensubjeeted to the vortex action.

llheii the device is first started, the upper portion ol theprecipita-tm.' will l'orm an airchamber; but this air may be gotten ridol' by temporarily opeiiing the eoek l, a'ter which everything worksnormally, it" the valves T are adjusted to secure the proper relationbetween circulatory current and eapaeity oli' skimmer-slots. Oil carriedover to the preeipitat'or will aecumnlate in the upper part ol' thesaine, and maybe drawn ol't' by the eoek l). \Vater goingl trom theprecipitator to the boiler passes down pipe S, whieh centrally disposedwithin. the skimmerpipe, and pipe Si discharges :immediately below theskimmer. The result oli' this ar rangement is that the inlet to theboiler and the outlet tln'irelron'i are secured bymeansol' a single holein the boiler-shell, and that the discharge l'rom the pipe itlaeet'ilerates the euri-ents in the neighborhood olf the skimmer, andthat the temperati'iresol' the ineom ing and. oiitgoingwaterare muchassimilated. ll willV be l'ound in iriraetiee that too strong acirculatory current is not eompatible with good porli'ormance. Theineiimiug eolder water in the pipe S being surrounded by the outgoinghotter water in the skimmer-pipe (l, the heat ot' the water in the twopipes tends toward assimilation.

In applying the ffiliparatus the skimmerpipe (l is screwed downthroi'igh a tapped hole in the boiler as t'ar as the thread upon thepipe will permit and a pipe-connection with the boiler thus secured.rllie skimmer is then screwed upon the skimmer-pipe to proper height andiixed, it' needed, by a locknut.

l claim as my invention l. ln a boiltuf-cleaner, the combination,substantially as set torth, with a preeipi'tatiiig chamber, a pipelearfling thereto from the lOO lIO

boiler, and a pipe leading therefrom Vto the boiler, of a skimmer withinthe boiler, having the form of a cup whose peripheral wall is providedwith vertical slots having a uniform effective area throughout theirvertical depth, said first-mentioned pipe projecting downwardly intosaid cup and communicating with the interior thereof near the floor ofthe cup.

2. In a boiler-cleaner, the combination, substantially as set forth,with a precipitatingchamber, a pipe leading thereto from the boiler anda pipe leading therefrom to the boiler, of a skimmer within the boilerand attached to said first-mentioned pipe and havin g the form of acylindrical cup whose perripheral wall is provided with vertical slotshaving a uniform effective area throughout the vertical depth, saidfirst-mentioned pipe projecting downwardly into said cup andcommunicating with the interior thereof near the iioor of the cup.

3. In a boiler-cleaner, the combination, substantially as set forth,with a precipitatingchamber, a pipe leading thereto from the boiler, anda pipe leading therefrom to theboiler, of a skimmer having the form of acup with a vertically-slotted periphery and communicating with saidfirst-mentioned pipe near the bottom of the cup only and below the levelof the lower ends of said slots.

et. In a boiler-cleaner, the combination, substantially as set forth,with a precipitatingchamber, a pipe leading thereto from the boiler, anda pipe leading therefrom to the boiler, of a skimmer having the form ofa cup with a vertically-slotted periphery, and having a central hollowhub connected with said first-mentioned pipe, and having aperturesleading from the base of the cup to within the base of the hub.

5. In aboiler-cleaner, the combination, substantially as set forth, witha precipitatingchamber, and a pipe leading therefrom to the boiler, ot'a vertical skimmer-pipe having a threaded portion projecting downwardlyinto the boiler, a pipe connecting the said skimmer-pipe wit-l1 theprecipitator, and a slotted cup shaped skimmer screwed upon the lowerend of said lskimmer-pipe and vertically adjustable thereon.

G. In a boiler-cleaner, the combination, substantially as set forth, ofa precipitatingchamber, a skimmer within the boiler, a pipe leading fromsaid skimmer vertically through the boiler-shell and thence to theprecipitator, and a pipe leading from the precipitator to said verticalpipe and passing downwardly within the same and through the skimmer andinto the boiler-space below the skimmer.

7. In a boiler-cleaner, the combination, substantially as set forth, ofa precipitatingchamber, a skimmer within the boiler, a pipe- T outsidethe boiler over the skimmer, a skimmerpipe connecting the T with theskimmer, a pipe connecting the precipitator with said T andskimmer-pipe, and a pipe passing from below the skimmer upwardly throughsaid skimmer and skimmer-pipe and out of said T, and thence to theprecipitator.

8. In aboiler-cleaner, the combination, substantially as set forth, of askimmer, a precipitating-chamber having a circular inwall, a pipeleading from said chamberto the boiler below the skimmer, and a pipeleading from the skimmer to said chamber and connected with said chamberat an outer point, and arranged to discharge tangentially against andcause the discharge to follow the complete circle of said inwall.

0. In a boiler-cleaner, the combination, substantially as set forth, ofa skimmer, a precipitating-chamber,'a pipe leading from the skimmer tothe outer portion of the precipitating-chamber, and a pipe leading fromthe boiler-space below the skimmer to a point in theprecipitating-chamber below the point of connection with saidfirst-mentioned pipe.

10. In a boiler-cleaner, the combination, substantially as set forth,ofaskimmer, aprecipitating-chamber, a pipe leading from the skimmer to atangential inlet at the outer portion of the precipitating-chamber, acentrally-disposed pipe project-ing downwardly from the roof of theprecipitating-chamber, and a pipe connecting said pipe with theboiler-space below the skimmer.

l1. In a boiler-cleaner, the combination, substantially as set forth, ofa skimmer, a napiform precipitatingchamber having a completely circularinwall, a clean-out valve at the base of the chamber, a pipe leadingfrom the skimmer to the precipitating-chamber and discharging tangentially against the circular inwall thereof, and a pipe leading fromthe precipitating-chamber to the boilerspace below the skimmer.

l2. In a boiler-cleaner, the combination, substantially as set forth, ofa skimmer, a precipitating-chamber, a horizontal perforated septum inthe chamber, a clean-out valve at the base of the chamber, a pipeconnecting the skimmer with the chamber above the septum, and a pipeleading from the boiler-space below the skimmer to the chamber above theseptum.

JOHN T. OBENCHAIN. Witnesses:

HENRY M. CIssoN, HENRY C. THORNTON.

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